Was thinking of the “Kid’s what’s the point?” Thread last night… All night… As my 19 month woke me at 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00 finally she fell asleep ontop of Mommy… Then my 3 year old was wondering why her sister wasn’t in her crib at 4:00, 4:30 & 5:00am… Finally slept for two hours straight from 5:00-7:00am… Needless to say, I missed my planned workouts, but I’m in a mini-taper anyway for Timberman… Let’s hope I can sleep the night through tonight…
You know though… I wouldn’t trade it for the world…
Been there. I’m not sure I have a “training plan”, more like a “training suggestion”. Nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned.
What’s puzzlin’ me is why my 16mo daughter wakes up at 6AM full of energy, then needs a nap at 8Am …now that I’m wide awake.
Nightime is the only time I wished I didn’t have kids. It would be so nice to just be tired and go to bed. Getting a 4yo and a 15mo to go to sleep, stay asleep, and not in mommy-daddy’s bed … ain’t easy.
Our really good friends have 3 kids, we have two. My wife really wants a third, I’m not sure (I’d prefer to wait until our youngest is out of diapers, at least).
I’m trying to decide is I am ready to switch my defense from “man-to-man” to a “zone” (as my buddy puts it). I’m not sure I’m ready to have “3 persons” that do not sleep through the night (I’m the one that gets up with the kids at night).
"1. they always knew they wanted children, it was just a matter of when. "
Not me. Just the opposite, fought of having kids until the very end.
"2. it’s the best thing that ever happened to them. "
Best thing, not sure. I think those that say "It’s “wonderful”, “best most fantastic thing EVER” are just afraid of telling it like it is. It’s HARD WORK being a parent, but at times very rewarding. Is it “The best”…I wouldn’t compare it to good sex, but it’s alot better than alot of things in life.
Must have been in the air last night. Our youngest typically sleeps thru the night. Not last night. Somehow my wife finally gave in and laid him in our bed, a VERY rare occasion. Of course trying to sleep in a bed with a 14 month old is kinda like trying to sleep in a water bed with a Great Dane…
Couldn’t agree with more… A head cold in a pacifier sucking 19 month old equals 1 squirming kid… I was so happy to have her fall asleep on my wife’s chest last night… Only to have my 3 year old standing inches from my nose saying “Daddy, Where’s Makenzie?”
Was thinking of the “Kid’s what’s the point?” Thread last night… All night… As my 19 month woke me at 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00 finally she fell asleep ontop of Mommy… Then my 3 year old was wondering why her sister wasn’t in her crib at 4:00, 4:30 & 5:00am… Finally slept for two hours straight from 5:00-7:00am… Needless to say, I missed my planned workouts, but I’m in a mini-taper anyway for Timberman… Let’s hope I can sleep the night through tonight…
You know though… I wouldn’t trade it for the world…
I have some of the same issues with a 7 mo old and 21 mo old. I miss a lot of morning workouts! But your right, its well worth it!
Don’t blink…because in no time they will be teenagers and acting like adults. It is getting hard to remember when they were that young, and at times I really miss it. Nothing like holding your child in your lap as they fall asleep, which is hard to do when they are as big as you are. But I look forward to being a grandparent one day…well, at least 13-14 years from now ;).
I don’t know if it’s the best thing, but it’s been an interesting ride.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted kids either, but ended up with four (now 27, 23, 20 and 17… the first and last were surprises, the other two planned).
The first two, and the last had major stuggles as teenagers and a little beyond. The youngest is in the throws of that now. Frankly, it was hell at times. The older two have now come around. The oldest called me today just to chat… we’ve become real friends again, and I look forward to seeing/hearing from him. His wife calls me for running/triathlon advice, etc. The 23 yr old, was very troubled at times, but is now an avid cyclist and triathlete. We went on a couple of training rides together last week, and I beat him in a “stop sign sprint”. It was a first, and probably won’t ever happen again. It’s amazing have have such a friend. The youngest will work through his troubles (if he lives through them), at least I hope so.
I had all the experiences others have listed when the boys were young, but thought I’d add that there is a lot to be said for when they’re older as well. Hasn’t been easy, by any means. But, it has been worth it! I could shoot them at times, but truthfully, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
"Only to have my 3 year old standing inches from my nose saying “Daddy, Where’s Makenzie?” "
Do they teach that in baby school or something? When my daughter was about 4-5 or so she had a nightmare, normally she would stand by our door or bed and say “Mommy” or “Daddy”. This time however she was pretty shaken and walked right up to the bed and was face to face with me…I awoke, sprang straight up and nearly crapped my pants…Which didn’t help her nightnmare situation much I suppose. I think my wife and I switched sides shortly after that…I don’t wake up well or easily.
My 2 yo has been sick and got me sick as well. Day before yesterday he went to bed at 10:00(late) I went to bed at 11:30 and he woke up at 3:00 am and never went to sleep again. I had to drive 3 hours to Atlanta for work yesterday. I had to pull over once and walk around I was so tired. Last night I got home and he hopped in his new big boy bed with a shit eatin grin and he patted the bed for me to come lay next to him and all was forgiven. My son is the toughest most difficult thing I have in my life but he is also the most rewarding thing.
Definately in the air. My three year old ended up in our bed last night, too. I had worked late (1:00) and planned on getting up early (5:30). With last night’s interuptions, today I feel like I’m coming down from a mescaline trip.
Fortunately, this has been a rare occurence of late. We had each boy in our “family” bed until they were weened at about two. It wasn’t always much fun, but then I wasn’t about to suggest to my wife that she get up out of bed every time someone called out hungry. At least the second time round we had the sense to buy a king sized bed.
Pretty simple for me really…to prove I can do it. To make the earth a better place.
No, not prove that I can get a woman pregnant and produce off spring - anyone person with a penis for the most part can do that; it however takes a man to be a father, a big man to be a good father.
Most (well, all) of my adult life I have been trying to prove to something to someone…the highest effort going to prove my parents wrong in their assessment that I was worthless and just a bum. I know now that is just not the case…I proved them wrong. When it comes to kids, I want them so that I can prove TO ME that even though I had horrible parents and no family, I can have great kids and be a great dad. It sounds selfish to want a legacy…but is it really? Children are so special and can be shaped and moulded into great people who can do great things…I think that I need some innocents in my life (is that to selfish)? I would love to play catch…sit and fish…read bed time stories…and do the things that I missed doing when I was a kid.
Chip, people with rough upbringing tend to go to the extremes - either great or horrible parents. I know many that have had poor early life that are the most attentive, sensitive parents. There is something inside them that does not want to repeat the cycle. I think you would be a great dad when you are ready.
It sounds selfish to want a legacy…but is it really?
It isn’t selfish at all to want to leave a legacy for our children. In reality it is all that we leave behind, everything else that we have eventually passes away and vanishes, but the values and lessons we leave in our children can last for generations. Don’t let those ideas slip away.
I hear that all the time about children. I have a pet parrot. He is sort of like a child. Always wants my attention. Always wants to be in the same room as me. Always calling me. He even wants to sleep under the covers in bed with me. He is more responsibility that I thought when I decided to take him from a friend who did have time for him. Even though he is a real pain in the ass, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
My point is that once you become attched to something - you’re stuck. When you have children - or course you wouldn’t trade it for the world. You would be a real shitball if you did. If I could win Mega Millions by giving my bird away, I wouldn’t do it. But I wish I never took him!
